Workflow

=Workflow : Revit Architecture 2008 to IES Radiance.=

 A. Preparing the Model in Revit Architecture 2008 B. Using IES Toolkit (Revit Architecture 2008 – IES Toolkit) C. Importing the Project in IES. D. Generating Daylighting/Photorealistic image using Radiance Interface. (IES - Radiance Interface) E. Radiance Image - Interpretation

**A.** **Preparing the Model in Revit Architecture 2008**
1. **** Create Revit model ** 3. Define Rooms in the Model ** 4. Save ** ** File ** 5. ** Launch ‘Set Properties’ from IES Toolkit **
 * 2. **** Ensure that Compute room volumes are checked **
 * From the 'Room and Area' tab, select 'Settings'. In Calculations, Select 'Compute room Volumes'. By default, the calculations are performed 'At System Computed Height' -- keep this setting. ** Ensure that walls enclosing rooms have the 'Room Bounding' property assigned to them. ** Select model object - Open Element Properties. In 'Constraints,' ensure that Room Bounding box is checked. (It is checked by default). To reduce the gbxml file size, uncheck the box for structural members / non-room enclosing objects within the space.
 * Check the room areas in Plan and Section. Ensure all the walls and roof sections are covered by Rooms. In case of pitched roofs / skylights, set the room offset so as to enclose the entire roof sections.

Recommended Practice

 * 1) ** Set Project North before launching the toolkit **
 * 2) ** Use Levels to define wall heights and floors **
 * 3) ** Substitute the Room Identification numbers with Room Names, as this will ease room identification in the ‘Set Model Properties’ viewer. This is crucial, especially in case of large projects with multiple rooms. **
 * 4) ** Set ‘Room Bounding’ properties only for major zones. Exclude structural members, cubicle spaces, partitions, etc., as this would otherwise increase the gbxml file size and, hence, the simulation time. **

Further Assistance
For detailed information about setting rooms in Revit model, refer the [|Building Information Modeling using Revit] manual from IES For the Overview of IES 'Sustainability toolkit' check out the '[|information and tutorials]' for the Plug-in For downloading the Revit Plug-in refer the '[|Plug-in installation]' page Revit Architecture 2008 can be downloaded from [|here]

**B.** **Using IES Toolkit** (**Revit Architecture 2008 – IES Toolkit**)
1. Inspect the Model Viewer visually for possible model discrepancies 2. Select ‘Check Model…’
 * This generates a ‘IES Report’ indicating Floor and Wall areas that constitue the Analytical volume in IES. Check for ‘Missing Surfaces Area’. In case of areas more than 1 sq.ft., investigate the Revit model and Room definitions for possible discrepancies. Unfortunately, the Toolkit does not identify the discrepancy by itself.

3. Select the ‘Rooms’ tab to inspect individual rooms for Missing Surfaces, if any. 4. If the model looks alright, check the ‘I have checked…’ box and click OK. 
 * This generates a gbxml file along with the folder indicating the different modules in IES

**C.** **Importing the Project in IES 5.8.5.**
As Radiance is not included in the IES Toolkit, the gbxml file generated in the above step needs to be imported in IES.

1. Load the Climate file in the IES model
 * By default, the project opens in ‘Model IT : Building Modeler’. Select from the Model IT menu, Utilities - 'APlocate'.
 * Click on ‘Selection Wizard’. This opens the ‘Location and Data Wizard’. Select the location and click Next through Page 2.
 * Click ‘Acquire design Weather’ on Page 3 and then click Next
 * Click ‘Finish’ on Page 4
 * Close the APlocate window and save when it prompts

2. Save the IES Project

Further Assistance
Tutorial on Navigation in IES Tutorial on Importing file in IES 5.8.5 and setting the climate file

**D. Generating Daylighting/Photo-realistic image using Radiance Interface** (**IES5.8.5 - Radiance Interface)**
1. Launch Radiance Interface from Lighting Tab 2. Set Eye and Focus position in view using the Plan and Elevations 3. Set the image type (Luminance/Illuminance) in ‘Generate’ column of the ‘Image’ tab. By default, Overture is checked -- let that stay. 4. Set the date and time in the ‘Sky/Eye’ tab. Select the view parameters from the ‘View’ column 5. Setting Material Color and Textures
 * In the ‘Surface tab’, the user can define texture through ‘Pattern Properties’ tab. Once the pattern is defined, select the pattern in the ‘Modifier’ tab in the ‘Material Surface Properties’ column. The color can be adjusted in the ‘Color’ tab.

Color and texture can be assigned to external surfaces, internal surfaces of walls, roofs, floors, glazings and openings. These can be defined separately in Radiance through ‘Surface Properties’ tab. Material attributes defined through the ‘Surface tab’ are applied onto the entire model. The possibility of applying different colors and textures to individual walls is still to be tried out.



6. Select the Image quality from the ‘Image’ tab 7. Simulate

Recommended Practice
Images generated in Radiance are stored in 'View Image' tab, unless deleted. As multiple simulations are run, all images are stored by default. Though the images retain the lighting level information, they do not update with any alterations to the base model. Hence, it is recommended to develop a system of designating images that indicate the design option.

Tutorial video - Overview of Radiance Interface Tutorial video on Creating Images in Radiance

**E. Radiance Image - Interpretation**
Images are generated in Radiance using two methods - Luminance and Illuminance.

Luminance images are photo-realistic renderings used for visualization purpose and identifying glare sources. They display lighting levels in foot candles.

Illuminance images specifically display daylighting levels in lux or foot candles. These images are suitable for analytical studies, and they can display lighting levels in grid format over the image.

An image generated in Radiance is stored in the 'View Image' column of the Image tab. Images stored can be browsed, or thumbnails can be viewed to select any image. These images are intelligent, in that they store the lighting levels information. Thus, any image can be opened and the lighting levels at the point of interest can be viewde through mouse clicks or by selecting contour lines, etc. display methods.

Commonly, both Luminance and Illuminance images can display light levels in contour lines, bands, and false color renderings. Luminance images can identify glare sources, while Illuminance images can display daylight levels over the grid on the rendered image.

Both Luminance & Illuminance images allow adjustments of 'Exposure'. However, it is recommended to keep the exposure 0 while analyzing glare or displaying light level information in contours.

Tutorial video for Interpreting Images generated from Radiance. Sample Images from Radiance

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